Monocles.

[Veronica Parra]

Forget the codpiece. Please. For the love of all that's holy.

Add bullet bras and padding to your list.

 

[Tango Yankee]

Yes indeed, and monocles also served a practical purpose. They still do, if the wearer genuinely has a vision problem in one eye. Otherwise, they're outlandish at best and pretentious at worst.

Of course, there are plenty of people who would say the same thing about wearing vintage clothing in general as anything other than a costume.

I doubt that the majority of monocle users had a vision problem in only one eye. I think it more likely that they were used as a reading aid. It would be something like the case now where you can get a set of contact lenses with one eye correcting far vision and the other correcting near vision as an alternative to bifocals.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Veronica Parra]

Of course, there are plenty of people who would say the same thing about wearing vintage clothing in general as anything other than a costume.

True. And in some cases, I'd agree with them.

I think it more likely that they were used as a reading aid.

You may be right, Tango. Let's hope that an optometrist sees this thread, so that we can find out for sure.

 

[Dr Doran]

I ORDERED THE BLOODY MONOCLE.

OK, folks, I ordered the monocle last night. It was only 50 bucks, and has a silver rim which goes with my tie clips (but not with my wedding ring ... hmm, perhaps I'll get divorced). It has a hole for a cord but I doubt I'll wear the cord. Partly just to mollify the rather, err, strident of you out there on this subject (why not get strident about something that actually universally matters a bit more to the human race? Human rights? Slavery? Deforestation? the beleaguered condition of truth in the postmodern world?), I got it with some vision correction. So I am anticipating using it when I have particularly small print to focus on: popping it in to see if the Greek print represents a rough breathing rather than a smooth breathing under a circumflex over an omega in a particularly crappily printed 1902 edition of Homer I have, exempli gratia (to be as snobby as possible). Then, after ascertaining same, I'll remove the monocle. If I don't like the correction, I'll get an uncorrected one. I'll see the movie 1-2-3, thanks for the advice; it was probably photos from the books Hollywood Babylon and Kiki's Paris that made me realize I wanted a monocle. I'll take a PHOTO of myself in one of my double-breasted suits and 30s ties (and little daughter Dominika in arms) with the monocle screwed in and I'll use that as my new avatar. Maybe I'll even wear my bowler. Or one of my fedoras. Or even a cap. So you'll all see it. And to those of you who got hot under the collar (and maybe just a little self-righteous) on this thread ... umm ... relax ... everything will be just ducky. Perhaps a martini will help. Or go watch "Man of the Century." Or something ... we're all friends here. (And if anyone can get me that "Staunch Vaudevillian" button I'll give your children free Greek and Latin lessons for a year.)

 

[BegintheBeguine]

I am eager to see the picture of you in the monocle. What a fun idea.

 

[Tango Yankee]

OK, folks, I ordered the monocle last night.

Good on ya, Doran!

I may consider one when I start to need reading glasses again. I say again because a happy side effect of getting my distance vision corrected via laser a year and a half ago was that my near vision improved as well. I had recently received my first pair of issued bifocals prior to retirement, but found I no longer needed reading glasses. I'm sure that will change.

Enjoy your monocle!

Cheers,
Tom

 

[John in Covina]

Now codpieces admittedly are not currently a part of everyday mens' clothing, in their day they served a practical purpose. When mens' individual woolen hose began to be joined together towards the end of the 14th C., a way was needed to to cover the area in front while still allowing access for calls of nature. The codpiece was the result of this need. Originally, it was just a flap sewn to the hose at the bottom and tied to the waistband at the top. It opened like the fall-front of 18th C. trousers. It wasn't until later in the 15th C. that it began to be emphasized.Haversack.

*****
Some how Sigfried & Roy keep coming to mind.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

May I draw your attention to the Billy Wilder movie, _1, 2, 3._? It is a subversive cold war comedy set in Berlin just before the wall went up. In it, there is a minor character called the Count von Droste-Schattenburg played by the German actor, Hubert von Meyerinck. He has something of the look it sounds like you are after: bald head, monocle, dark suit, (it may be a stroller).

For any who have not seen this movie, the sartorial scramble towards the end of the movie where they turn the young East German Communist into a West German "pushing young particle" is particualarly funny from a clothing point of view.

Haversack.

I'd recommend that movie, too. (not just for monocles) Jimmy Cagney is great in it.

Ya know, I need reading glasses, I may just get a monocle for that. Easier to store than regular reading glasses and more stylish than bifocals.

 

[Veronica Parra]

(And if anyone can get me that "Staunch Vaudevillian" button I'll give your children free Greek and Latin lessons for a year.)

My dear erudite Doran, it's spelled "Vaudevillain", not "Vaudevillian." The word is French, after all.

 

[Dr Doran]

My dear erudite Doran, it's spelled "Vaudevillain", not "Vaudevillian." The word is French, after all.

Typo, doll, typo.

 

[Harp]

...et Veronica Parra est votre nom de plume, Marc?

 

[Veronica Parra]

Mais non, mon cherie. Marc's been away from posting here, though I've convinced him to make ONE upcoming post showing his latest vintage acquisitions.

Marc was my English teacher when we met in Chile. He still teaches me English, though on a more permanent basis now. Any good or poor grammar of mine is his fault. And as for monocles, spats and the like, he's far less conservative than I am. After all, I grew up under a military dictatorship, where clothing color options for the masses were pretty much limited to dark blue, grey, and black. Marc's motto, on the other hand, is: Wear what you want; pierce what you want; smoke what you want; inject what you want. No skin off his derriere (or poto, as we say in Chilean Spanish).

 

[Orgetorix]

We miss him.

When did you two get married?

 

[Harp]

Please excuse my error, Veronica. And please convince Marc
to return to the Lounge since his 'bon viv' sartorial advice is missed!

 

[Veronica Parra]

When did you two get married?

We got married twice, as it were. Both times in Chile. First, the notarized civil ceremony on November 17, 2004. Then, the religious ceremony and reception on March 12, 2005. Until very recently, this separation of ceremonies (sometimes by as much as a year!) was typical in Chile.


Here we are, leaving the office of the Justice of the Peace (civil ceremony). My dress and shoes were a very light rose color; Marc's suit was black with very light grey pencil stripes.

The religious ceremony and reception were a bit more formal, though held outdoors in the countryside.

 

[Dr Doran]

MONOCLE CAME IN.

(Lovely wedding pictures, lovely white dress.)

OK. OK. The monocle finally arrived today. I just got home. I put it in. It keeps wanting to fall out. Perhaps I shall indeed wear the cord. My wife made me do 45 pushups before she would give me the package. She thinks the whole idea of a monocle is affected and in fact idiotic. I am not sure if I disagree. Has this become a (nonsexual) fetish item in my imagination? We shall see. I'll take pictures very soon. Little Dominika's baptism is Sunday. Perhaps I'll wear the monocle in some of those pictures ... if any of you still, um, actually care about the monocle ... at least I'll get an updated avatar out of it.

 

[patrick1987]

Good show! Please do post pictures. Don't forget your handkerchief for the Baptism.

 

[Dr Doran]

Good show! Please do post pictures. Don't forget your handkerchief for the Baptism.

What should I do with my handkerchief?

 

[BegintheBeguine]

You are going to need it when you get the sniffles caused by the lump in your throat because the service is so lovely. Snif. What a darling baby. I am also excited about seeing pix of you in the monocle.

 

[HadleyH]

Where is the picture with the monocle Doran?